The Ghost of The Bo Tree

HIS DEAREST WARD

'Leave you two!' Nero commanded Sorrow and Vengeance as he rose from the branch, his long white robes fluttering behind him, his pale white feet gliding above the branches as he floated effortlessly in space.

'But Nero!' Vengeance said, glowing more, 'You must cause her pain! Let me cause her pain! I will make her cry in agony! I will make her weep and beg for mercy! Won't that be nice?'

'Vengeance!' Nero said and as the color of his eyes changed Vengeance cowered and whimpered like a dog, 'We have no time!'

'Look! Look below!' Sorrow said, gliding towards Nero.

The three ghouls looked down. The villagers were sprinkling holy water upon Lei and endowing upon her a blessed piece of red cloth.

'She is getting ready to burn us!' Vengeance said.

Nero and Sorrow were quiet.

The villagers pushed Lei towards the tree, the flambeau still in her hand. Lei looked perplexed, confused and willing to say something but unable to do so.

'I trust she is,' Nero said and glided away- his eyes cold and angry.

'Look Nero!' Sorrow said, no longer melting- but erect and glowing.

Nero turned around. Below Lei had thrown down the flambeau and was saying something to the villagers.

Nero's eyes widened and he vanished to appear again beside his two aide ghouls. The villagers and Lei were engaged in an argument- Lei had refused to set fire to the tree.

'So she did not betray us?' Vengeance asked, curiously.

'No she didn't' Sorrow replied, 'Isn't it Nero?'

He said nothing, only looked down with his grey eyes fixed at Lei, while something in his chest burned.

Below, a man suddenly walked up to Lei and slapped her across her cheek. Nero's eyes changed color and his face grew tense and irate.

'My ward!' Nero said and began to descend but Sorrow held him back.

'You mustn't!' Sorrow said.

'I will! I will have revenge! He touched Nero's ward!' Vengeance said.

'Shh!' Nero said, 'The girl is ready to sacrifice herself.'

'What?' Vengeance asked.

'Poor Lei,' Sorrow drooped and melted again, 'Poor Lei. Won't you do something Nero?'

'She has my mark, nothing...' Nero was saying but halted in his words.

'Nero...' Sorrow whispered as it gripped his robe.

Vengeance was glowing quietly.

Below Lei's body lay limp on the ground. A villager had struck her at the back of her head with his flambeau.

'My Ward...' Nero whispered, his body aflame, his body tense.

'It is too late! It is too late!' Sorrow cried.

'How dare they!' Vengeance said.

'My ward!' He said and a furious wind enveloped the air.

The villagers looked about in fear.

'You have angered the ghost!' someone said, 'Burn the witch, everything on this cursed land and run.'

'Why didn't your mark work?' Sorrow asked.

'The holy chant,' Vengeance said, 'The old man put the holy chant on her. They even marked her forehead with sandalwood.'

'They wanted to kill her all along,' Sorrow said, drooping and melting.

Below the villagers had set the hay, wet with kerosene, on fire. The flames leaped about everywhere- Lei's body could not be seen. The fire crept up to The Bo Tree, but not a single spark could burn it. No fire, other than Nero's own could burn it. After she was marked by Nero, Lei could have put the Bo tree on fire- but she chose not to.

Nero glided down to the ground; his clear, stern face was beset with a strange sorrow. A strong gust of wind followed him and the fire stopped burning. Lei's body was on the ground, her face smeared with dust and blood. She was not burnt and she was not breathing.

'My ward,' Nero whispered and knelt beside her.

Sorrow and Vengeance were soon at his side.

Nero placed his hand upon hers and his eyes widened when he found that he could touch her.

'You can touch her Nero,' Vengeance said, 'she is no longer alive then?'

'Lei,' Nero whispered and carefully put his arms around her body and held her to close to his chest, 'My dearest ward,' he said and smiled in sadness as he remembered all the times he had seen Lei under the Bo tree.

'Forgive me,' he said and put her body gently back on the ground.